The present invention relates to sunroofs for vehicles, and the like, and in particular to a controller arrangement therefor.
Sunroofs for vehicles, and other structures, have become increasingly popular. Generally, sunroofs comprise a circumambient frame, which defines an opening or window in the structure, and a retractable door or closure to selectively close the window.
In vehicles, the sunroof is normally located in the roof of the cab, and is either of the vent type, or of the slider type. Typical vent sunroofs have a window panel hinged to a frame member along the forward edge of the window panel. The rear edge of the window panel is raised and lowered by an adjustable prop or lever to respectively open and close the sunroof. Normally, vent sunroofs are an aftermarket accessory, and are installed after the vehicle is fully assembled.
Slider sunroofs have a closure or door that retracts either partially or wholly into the roof of the vehicle between the outer metal skin of the roof, and the interior headliner. Typically, slider sunroofs are original equipment accessories, and are installed when the vehicle is being assembled at the factory. Some slider sunroofs are equipped with a special mechanism, which permits the closure to be selectively pivoted in a vertical plane to also act as a vent.
Heretofore, closures for sunroofs have been controlled by either an electrical drive assembly with push/pull cables, or a manual crank and cable arrangement. Both of these types of sunroof controllers have a rather complicated construction with multiple moving parts, and are relatively expensive to manufacture and install. The complexity of such mechanical assemblies requires periodic maintenance, and renders them inherently difficult to repair.
Also, those controllers that are designed for the slider type of sunroof have a construction which does not lend itself to aftermarket installation. Although some manually operated controllers for slider sunroofs are available, they are difficult to open and close, and encounter problems in creating a secure, weathertight seal. As a result, such structures sometimes allow moisture to enter the vehicle, and can cause unnecessary wind noise.